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1ST POV
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The journey began smoothly, with Tanjiro and I engaging in small talks. His curiosity about me was quite understandable, given that I was the first foreigner he had encountered in his relatively short life.
"Well, kiddo, I come from Earth, but not your earth. You see, you're actually a character from a manga/anime in my world. And oh, interesting twist, I died and then woke up in a different manga where there are these man-eating naked giants called titans. I gained these overpowered powers as a kind of divine gift, and it turns out I'm sort of a version or a clone of myself in this manga universe," Of course, I didn't actually say all of that. I might be goofy, but I'm not that reckless. Though, truth be told, the chaos and mental turmoil such a revelation would cause poor Tanjiro could probably rival one of Zenitsu's meltdowns. And I haven't had the pleasure of meeting the shrieking Pikachu just yet!
I had to suppress a maniacal laugh as he struggled to pronounce 'Africa,' snorting when he finally settled for a meek "Afurika" after three attempts, delivered in a thick Japanese accent. I could sense Nezuko's growing amusement from the basket, sharing in the fun as she witnessed his efforts. The demon child seemed to be enjoying this just as much as I was.
Tanjiro proceeded to ask a series of questions, like "what's it like in 'Afurika'" (his words, not mine), "where is it?", and "is it far from Japan?" His reaction was priceless when he learned that Africa is an entirely different continent and quite far from Japan. The moment he blurted out "what about your family?", he realized his mistake and promptly apologized, seemingly mortified by his own insensitivity.
After managing to assure forehead that curiosity was okay, and that no, I wasn't hurt by the question, and what the hell, kid! Stop bowing – seriously, you'l' make Nezuko dizzy! We moved on to more straightforward inquiries like "what's your favorite color?" and such, to which I provided answers that revealed just enough without delving into the details. Those stories would come in due time.
The kid mentioned being fond of fatsia sprouts, or whatever the heck that was, and enthusiastically promised to cook some for me to try one day. I couldn't help but chuckle and made a counter-offer to introduce him to some of the specialties from my country. The sheer delight in his beaming smile could've blinded me! No wonder he practiced sun breathing, this kid really was a walking ray of sunshine.
The conversation then shifted to his determination to find a cure for Nezuko, and she responded with a resolute "HM!" I smiled softly to myself, thinking, 'and you will succeed...'
When I affectionately ruffled his hair, Tanjiro appeared both puzzled and flustered by the gesture.
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Now, we stood in front of a mother and her child who both gawked at my appearance, yet again. This reaction wasn't new, considering that on our way here, people in the rice fields would pause their work just to stare at me in utter surprise. Clearly, they had never encountered anyone quite like me before. Their expressions ranged from shock to wonder, and in some cases, even a hint of fear. It reminded me of that Mike Wazowski-Sulley meme.
The child, with all the innocence of youth, continued to gaze at me with wide eyes, filled with curiosity. Encountering someone with my skin color for the first time must have been mind-blowing for him, just as it was for his mother. She seemed kind, albeit a bit intrigued, her brown eyes shifting to me now and then as she conversed with Tanjiro. Meanwhile, I stood nearby, leaning against a tree with my hat on and arms folded.
What truly surprised us both, however, was her decision not to make any comments about my appearance. For that, I felt grateful. The prospect of having to explain that my skin tone was natural, that I hadn't bathed in mud, and, of course, the fact that I could indeed speak Japanese was becoming increasingly tiresome.
The incessant staring was starting to get on my nerves, to be honest. Tanjiro, being the kind soul he was, seemed to notice my discomfort and understood why I was avoiding engaging in conversations and pretending to be oblivious whenever we encountered others along the way. Then, the woman we currently faced hesitantly gestured towards the direction of Mount Sagiri. She informed us that we needed to cross over a mountain to reach our destination.
Her hesitance was warranted, given the fact that the sun was descending rapidly. Understandably, she had reservations about allowing what appeared to be two children (though the thought of considering me as one was amusing) to venture into the woods during the impending darkness.
"Are you certain it's safe for you to continue? The sun is setting, and you seem well charged. It could be dangerous," she said with a gentle and motherly tone, her expression a mixture of concern and care.
"We'll be careful, ma'am. Thank you for your help!" Tanjiro expressed his gratitude with a polite bow. He was genuinely appreciative of her guidance, as he wasn't familiar with the outskirts of the countryside, having never ventured beyond the confines of his own village. I followed his lead, standing up straight and imitating his gesture, choosing to remain silent. Talking just wasn't on my agenda at that moment.
'Maybe I should have worn a mask or something. Oh, I could totally rock an Anbu mask! Wait, no... Tobi's lollipop mask would be perfect. Hehe, I'm such a weeb.'
My action appeared to catch her off guard, eliciting a surprised gasp. She might have assumed I was unfamiliar with their local customs.
'Anime binge-watching, the root of all my weeb habits, heh.'
A soft chuckle escaped me as the kid gasped in awe, only to shrink back slightly at the gentle reprimand he received from the woman.
Tanjiro glanced back at me, waiting for me to catch up before we continued our path towards the mountain, the winter sun setting behind us. We had barely taken a few steps forward when the woman's voice called out:
"Many people have been disappearing lately. Please don't get lost!" creepy but thanks ma'am!
Naturally, she felt a sense of responsibility for our safety, and that would be justified for most people. But then again, I'm not exactly your average joe here. I responded with a slight smile while Tanjiro, being the sweetheart he was, waved enthusiastically in gratitude.
Walking a bit ahead of him, I begin in a hushed tone, "Aren't you a bit scared, Tanjiro? I mean, things could get messy in the blink of an eye if we're not careful, especially without any weapons." My hands rest behind my head as I scan our surroundings, my gaze eventually settling on the serene sunset. It was quite a beautiful sight. Ufotable's stunning art style was honestly breathtaking. I still hadn't had a chance to take a good look at myself in a mirror. I wondered if my appearance had remained the same or if it had changed somehow. I hope not, I was hot.
Not getting an immediate reply from the usually quick-to-respond boy, I turned my head towards him and caught his gaze fixed on me, which startled him out of his trance. It appears he had been watching me for a while, given his flushed cheeks and embarrassed demeanor. Oh boi.
"What is it? Do I have something on my face ?"
"N-no, not at all! I was just...uh..." he shrunk on himself, clearly embarrassed for being caught staring. But...How could he not? The setting sun had given my skin tone an ethereal glow, which combined with the serene look in my gold eyes made me look like something from another realm, something almost...godlike. It was so mesmerizing that he had almost gotten lost in it again. Oh no! Was he caught staring again? How utterly embarrassing!
His blush deepened, and my thoughts turned frantic.
'Ok Hol'up.
I've been silent about this the whole time but this ain't gonna do! It's freaking weird!! I dunno whatever bullshit the HU smoked up there if they thought that including a 13-year-old to my Harem was a good idea because it ain't!! I ain't blind to the flustered aura around Tanjiro every time I talk to him and we've known each other for what? TWO DAYS.
WHAT THE HECK.
Ouh it better be because I'm the first foreigner AND black girl he's ever seen before I loose my mind.
Better break it to him while I can that I ain't no normal 14-year-old-why did I even switch to this form again?! Oh yeah, to seem less threatening 'cause I was like, a 6'0 tall, well-built African woman who would've surely scared him shitless. I was aware that Japaneses tended to have small frames so I shrunk too! Though I was still taller than him by a few inches— that's beside the point! What kind of reasoning is this, past me?! I thought it would be a good idea to befriend him that way, not freaking have him crush on me at first sight!!! WHAT AM I? HISOKA? OH HELL TO THE NO.
And didn't Kagaya, like, marry at 13?! WHAT THE FUCK JAPAN.'
Sensing my increasing discomfort, Tanjiro gently rested a hand on my shoulder, which snapped me out of my bizarre thoughts.
"A-Are you alright...?" he asked with concern.
A soft scratching noise emanated from the basket, indicating that Nezuko was also taking notice of the situation.
"OH erm yeah, I'm good."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, kiddo, now shoo It's my turn to ask questions. How old are you and Nezuko anyway?" I took advantage of the moment to inquire, although I already had an idea of the answer.
Tanjiro appeared puzzled, and a wave of frustration could be detected in my scent. What had caused it? Did he make me uncomfortable by staring? Tanjiro mentally scolded himself for not realizing. How could he have missed the traces of annoyance that emanated from me whenever people stared at me for too long? How thoughtless of him...
"I'm so-"
"Nah nah nah, why are you even apologizing?"
"I made you uncomfortable. Sorry for not taking your feelings into account, I won't do it again!"
"Ayo kid-"
"Please forgive me!"
"TANJIRO MY BOY!" the teen jumped as I grasped his shoulders, preventing him from bowing once more. "Relax, it's all good! I'm not upset with you or anything!"
The boy blushed. "O-oh, are you-"
"Absolutely! Now, let's get to the question, shall we?" I let go of him and resumed walking, with him hurrying to catch up. "So, how old are you two?"
Tanjiro's interest was piqued, his previous downcast demeanor forgotten. "...Oh, well, Nezuko is 12 and I am 13. And you, if I may ask, Colith-San?" he couldn't resist inquiring.
A mischievous smile played on my lips. "I'll let you take a guess."
Tanjiro's brows furrowed, the sun casting a gentle glow on his forehead as he turned to look at me attentively. "I'd say... 14 or 15?"
My grin grew wider, evolving into a full-fledged toothy smile. "Wrong~ I'm 25!"
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As night fell, Nezuko was free from the confines of the basket. After a few hours of walking, we found ourselves approaching a temple, a place where I knew things were about to get intense. But don't worry, I've got these two covered! Tanjiro was still taken aback by my age, to the extent that he kept alternating his gaze between the path ahead and me, his eyes wide. The most amusing part, though, was that he could actually sense the truth behind my words, which added another layer of amusement. His expression was so priceless that I almost lost my balance, slipping on a rock and almost faceplanting onto the ground.
I guess that's karma for being an ass, but that was totally worth it!
Finally, we reached a set of uneven rocky stairs, surrounded by lush vegetation. Tanjiro held onto his younger sister's hand, a touching sight that nearly melted my heart!
'They're so cute!, aw!'
I can't help but mentally gush as the burgundy-haired boy's eyes light up upon spotting the place. It appeared weathered by time, but the evident effort to maintain it for habitation was there.
"A shelter!" the boy exclaimed, turning to me with a weary look in his eyes. "The lights are on, so someone must be there. Do you think we could rest there, Colith-San? Are you too tired?" Before I can reply, he suddenly freezes, his nose twitching as he catches a scent.
'oh boi oh man ouh.'
"The smell of blood...! The path is steep, someone might be injured!" Tanjiro exclaimed, breaking into a run towards the structure, his eyes brimming with concern. He maintained his grip on Nezuko's hand, and she followed along with me in tow.
'Hurt, hurt... I'd say dead as hell but ight.'
"Huh kid, I don't think you should-"
He slid the door open without hesitation.
"-open the door..."
With urgency driving him, Tanjiro slid the door open as if he owned the place, his bleeding heart pushing aside any concern for etiquette.
"A-Are you okay?" he stammered, only for his voice to be drowned out by the gruesome scene that met his eyes. Shock washed over Tanjiro as he took in the blood-splattered room, and the unsettling sounds of munching and bone-cracking reverberated through the air. His bamboo basket dropped from his grip, landing with a thud on the floor.
Nezuko stiffened.
'oh boi'.
"What the hell do you want?" The Demon's head pivoted toward us, revealing its sharp teeth in a sinister display. Its hair sported a dark green hue, contrasting with its sickly gray skin adorned by green stripes around its biceps, wrists, and ankles. Draped in a traditional sleeveless blue cardigan stained with the blood of its victims, it presented an unpleasant sight. I frowned. It was so damn ugly.
"This is my territory, I won't let anyone loot my hunting ground, ya ear?" The snarl was directed squarely at Nezuko, whose pupils turned into slits. A subtle drool escaped her lips as she fixated on the bodies, clearly drawn to the scent of food.
"Huh?" it licked its bloodied fingers.
I grimaced.'ew... Even titans have more manners than this...thing.'
"Y'all smell weird. you wouldn't be humans, would you?"
Rising with an ominous aura that, while not as impressive as what I usually emanate, was sufficient to freeze inexperienced humans, the demon slowly turned its attention to the two siblings. One stood in shocked disbelief, immobilized by the horrifying sight before them. Meanwhile, the other's gaze remained fixed on the lifeless bodies scattered within the room—a situation that was beginning to stir my concern.
Remaining hidden, I observed the scene through a tear in the paper door adjacent to Nezuko. The demon remained unaware of my presence as a third party. Its focus was entirely centered on the trembling boy.
Tanjiro and the demon locked eyes in a tense standoff, the anticipation hanging heavily in the air. Their unyielding gazes seemed to await a trigger, a signal to break the tension. Suddenly, just as the candle illuminating the room flickered out, the demon lunged at Tanjiro, its hand poised to sever his throat. In a cruel twist of fate, its own intention met its end, as Tanjiro managed to react in the nick of time, slashing its throat with the hatchet he had cleverly brought along.
Oh so he had a weapon. Nice.
While keeping a watchful eye on the unfolding situation, my focus remained on Nezuko. Her excessive drooling was quite remarkable. Gently, I reached for her tightly clenched fist, prepared to intervene in case her self-restraint faltered.
'Come on baby, you can do it!'
I wrapped Nezuko in a calming aura, much like I would do for my loved ones when they had a nightmare. This seemed to help, as her tense shoulders eased slightly, though her gaze remained transfixed on the lifeless forms. Behind me, the unfolding situation caught my attention, prompting me to remove my hat and let it hang on my back.
The demon arrogantly boasted of its healing abilities, but it was no match for my skills. With a swift, unexpected movement, it leaped towards the boy, catching him off guard. Its speed surpassed human perception, but I was ready to intervene.
As the creature moved to tighten its grip around Tanjiro's throat, I acted. My fist struck its side with incredible force, sending the demon hurtling towards a tree. The impact caused the tree's trunk to groan and splinter before crashing altogether, stirring up clouds of dust. The loud noise startled birds into flight, their wings beating in panicked response.
"Ah, shit, didn't mean to put that much force in it." I muttered with a wince. 'Poor tree, Hashirama wouldn't be happy'
"Wh-?!" The demon's voice wheezed out in shock as it lay on the ground, its side grievously wounded and bleeding from the powerful punch it had received. 'What the hell was that?!' It struggled to breathe as its lungs constricted, desperately gasping for air.
Tanjiro, who had kept his eyes tightly shut throughout the ordeal, finally opened them. He gasped and sucked in air hungrily, his airway suddenly free. The poor boy must have thought his end had come. He looked at the swirling dust and the fallen tree in disbelief, his ears still ringing with the sound of the demon's struggle for air. 'What just happened?' His panic-stricken gaze then shifted to me as I asked:
"Are you okay? I apologize for not reacting sooner; I was concerned about Nezuko." I offered him a sheepish grin as I looked down at him.
"H-h-how did-" He coughed, his breath still labored. I gave his back a reassuring pat to help him catch his breath. ".. Wha...t just ha..ppen..ed?" he managed to utter between breaths.
I was about to respond, but a movement ahead grabbed my attention, leading me to look forward. There, I observed the demon laboring to rise, its curses ringing out loudly as it grappled with the pain of its severely injured left side. Or what was left.
'Dayum'
I could discern its insides, its entrails splayed across the ground with nauseating squelches, even from my vantage point. Tanjiro followed my line of sight and let out a horrified gasp, nearly retching at the gruesome spectacle.
"WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?!" the demon screeched, managing to regain its balance amidst spewing blood from its mouth, its enraged eyes wide. "WHO DARES—" Its vision cleared as it took in my presence, its brows furrowing in confusion. "A foreigner? The fuck are you doing here? You smell weird! What are you?" it sneered, venom in its tone. "Did you do this?! I'll kill yo—"
I tuned out its threats, utterly unfazed by its bluster, more focused on checking Tanjiro for any injuries as any responsible individual would do.
Tanjiro appeared visibly stunned by the unfolding situation. There I was, seemingly disregarding a demon, solely focused on ensuring he was alright. This scenario might have prompted him to blush, if not for the fact that his attention shifted to the demon, who was now rushing at me, its teeth bared in a furious rage for having been ignored.
"YOU FUCKING BITCH!!"
"COLITH-SAN!" the poor boy yelled in fright, fearing I was about to meet my end at the hands of this... creature. However, Nezuko dashed forward, her face displaying pronounced veins as she delivered a powerful kick to the demon's head, separating it from its body. The head went hurtling with an outraged cry, crashing into a tree behind the fallen tree.
'NEZUKO-CHAAAAN~!' I internally cheered.
She had snapped out of her focused state upon hearing her brother's distraught cry.
'Guess some things never change,' I thought with amusement, almost bursting into laughter at Tanjiro's horrified expression as he beheld his innocent-looking sister unleash such brutality.
The creature's body landed on the ground, lying still. Recognizing it as a potential ploy to catch us off guard, I remained vigilant, my gaze fixed on it.
"hmf.." Nezuko grunted, her expression a mix of annoyance and satisfaction, an amusing sight that made the situation even more entertaining.
"Bravo, Nezuko!" I praised her. My words caught her attention, pulling her out of her temporary irritation. With a skip in her steps, she approached me, seeking head pats, which I happily provided while playfully uttering "yoshyoshyoshyoshyosh," mimicking Cioccolata from Jojo. Tanjiro observed us with barely concealed perplexity, a small sweatdrop forming on his forehead.
Convinced that our attention was diverted, the demon's body stirred, slowly inching towards Tanjiro who was unaware. Just as it was about to make contact, the demon girl kicked it away.
I let out a whistle.
"YOU LITTLE BASTARDS!" The head roared in anger. "I knew I smelled a demon! But what a weird smell! What is a demon even doing with a human, huh?!" Its hateful glare shifted towards me. "And you!! What the hell are you and what's with that skin?! I can't even sense your presence!!" It growled like a feral animal.
Tanjiro's curiosity was piqued. He was perplexed by how I had managed to severely wound the demon with my bare hands while he had only managed to scratch its throat with a weapon.
"That's...none of your damn business, bitch," I casually replied, cleaning my ear with my little finger as I glanced up at the night sky, with no intention of providing an answer.
'M-MEAN!!' Tanjiro screamed in his head.
This infuriated the demon to the point where its mangled body lunged at me with vengeance. I sighed, unimpressed, ready to take it down, but Nezuko beat me to it. She moved to protect me, but the headless body managed to send her careening into the woods.
"NEZUKO!!" Tanjiro and I shouted in unison. Reacting quickly, I delivered a powerful blow in retaliation, sending the creature flying in the same direction as the girl. The head screamed in pain from the impact.
"You, take care of the head! I'll help Nezuko!" I ordered and quickly moved to assist Nezuko before he could respond.
Deep in the woods, I began my search and soon sensed a weak, nasty demonic aura emanating from a point about 200 meters further ahead.
"Found you," I sneered and dashed toward it. As I reached the source, I was met with the sight of the demon lying in a gruesome, bloodied mess. Its arms and knees were bent in unnatural ways, and I paused to observe it with raised eyebrows. In addition to the horrific injuries, it seemed that the demon's body was struggling to heal from the wounds I had inflicted. The left side of its torso, from its hip to its ribs, showed no sign of healing and seemed to be deteriorating even more over time.
'interesting...'
And it truly was.
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I'm having so much fun writing this :D!
EDITED